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Words of Caution
207
the Lord that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee: is not this a brand
plucked out of the fire?”
Zechariah 3:2
.
The course of Christ in dealing even with the adversary of souls
should be an example to us in all our intercourse with others never to
bring a railing accusation against any; much less should we employ
harshness or severity toward those who may be as anxious to know
the right way as we are ourselves.
Those who have been educated in the truth by precept and ex-
ample should make great allowance for others who have had no
knowledge of the Scriptures except through the interpretations given
by ministers and church members, and who have received traditions
and fables as Bible truth. They are surprised by the presentation
of truth, it is as a new revelation to them, and they cannot bear to
have all the truth, in its most striking character, presented to them
at the outset. All is new and strange, and wholly unlike that which
they have heard from their ministers; and they are inclined to believe
what the ministers have told them—that Seventh-day Adventists are
infidels and do not believe the Bible. Let the truth be presented as
it is in Jesus, line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and
there a little.
Let not those who write for our papers make unkind thrusts and
allusions that will certainly do harm and that will hedge up the way
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and hinder us from doing the work that we should do in order to reach
all classes, the Catholics included. It is our work to speak the truth in
love and not to mix in with the truth the unsanctified elements of the
natural heart and speak things that savor of the same spirit possessed
by our enemies. All sharp thrusts will come back upon us in double
measure when the power is in the hands of those who can exercise
it for injury. Over and over the message has been given to me that
we are not to say one word, not to publish one sentence, especially
by way of personalities, unless positively essential in vindicating
the truth, that will stir up our enemies against us and arouse their
passions to a white heat. Our work will soon be closed up, and soon
the time of trouble, such as never was, will come upon us, of which
we have but little idea.
The Lord wants His workers to represent Him, the great Mis-
sionary Worker. The manifestation of rashness always does harm.
The proprieties essential for Christian life must be learned daily in